A Pawrent’s Productivity Guide For Working From Home With Dogs

Now that most of us are working from home, more pawrents are spending the whole day with their furry friends close by. Working remotely comes with its own benefits and challenges, especially when you have a dog as your coworker. While working from home comes with its own benefits and challenges, it also takes structure, discipline, and scheduling especially when you have a dog as your coworker. 
It’s great to be able to spend more time with your dog. Having your pet around improves your physical and mental health. But having your dog nearby doesn’t always make for the most productive work environment. Our dogs don’t understand what Coronavirus is or why you’re constantly home nowadays! They’re just happy you’re home with him all day long now.

It can be difficult to stay focused on work with your pooch giving you the sad puppy eyes, you know you actually have to get some work done. If you’re having a hard time concentrating, here are some methods to help you stay focused while keeping them happy.  

Start the Day Off with a Walk

Starting the day off with a walk is a great way to get that morning energy out!  A tired dog is a happy dog, as the saying goes. Walking is just about the best bonding exercise you can do with your dog. Starting the day by strolling around the neighborhood with your dog will “deepen your bond and help deter annoying, attention-seeking behaviors such as excessive barking or whining.”
Once you get home, your dog should be content with lounging around for a bit while you kick off your day working from home.

Keep them entertained when you’re on a call

One of the most common problems with having a dog in the house while you’re working from home is interruptions during your conference calls. Do any pawrents agree?! Either they’re trying to slip in front of the camera for a special appearance or barking in the background, it’s not hard for your colleagues to figure out who among them has a dog. To avoid this, try giving your dog something to do that you know will keep them busy for an extended period of time. Interactive toys, chew toys, frozen toys or even a treat can keep them distracted for a while.

Set Designated Playtimes

To stay in a good work flow, set aside a block of time to play with your dog. It’s more productive to get all your playtime with your pup out in one twenty-minute block rather than getting up to play with them for a few short minutes multiple times throughout the day. You don’t want to set the expectation that you’ll come over to them whenever they’re doing something cute. Your dog will catch onto that quickly and seize the opportunity to keep distracting you. If you have a furry friend that is constantly trying to get in your space, you might want to keep them in a separate area first.

Don’t Give In To Their Whines and Begging

If your dog starts whining, crying, or batting at the door when you’ve told them to stay out, do not cave and let them in. By giving in, this will tell your dog that they’re in charge, and by crying, they can be near you.

Create a Separate, Pup Free Space

The best way to ensure your dog isn’t going to distract you throughout the work day is to keep them in a separate area. Setting up a separate work space is great, not just for you and your dog, but also for your work-life balance in general. It helps make you feel like you aren’t actually living in your office.

Part of working from home — and having a dog — is learning how to be flexible and roll with the punches. We also need to understand that animals have individual personalities. There are some pets who don’t necessarily want constant interaction. With us at home all the time, especially with larger families, we need to make sure they’re not being overstimulated. We should set up safe spaces at home where they can choose to retreat and have downtime.